Four golfers competing in a Wednesday evening league were affected by lightning that struck the green they had just completed playing. The golfers were leaving the 3rd green at the Powell Golf Club near Garland when lightning struck.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
Four golfers competing in a Wednesday evening league were affected by lightning that struck the green they had just completed playing. The golfers were leaving the 3rd green at the Powell Golf Club near Garland when lightning struck. The bolt knocked one man to the grass and another to his knees. Both men said it felt like they had been hit from behind or whacked on the side of the head.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 25, 5:41 PM MST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 641 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 .UPDATE... THE SEVERE THREAT HAS SHIFTED EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA...AND HAVE CANCELLED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 355 FOR NATRONA AND JOHNSON COUNTIES. MINOR TWEAKS TO POP/WIND GRIDS...OTHERWISE NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 242 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY DIURNAL CONVECTION IS WELL UNDERWAY TO THE WEST OF THE LINGERING MID LEVEL DECK OF CLOUDS WITH THE BACK EDGE OF THIS CLOUD SHIELD NOW EXITING THE EASTERN WIND RIVER BASIN NORTH TO THE CENTRAL BIG HORN BASIN. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING CONVECTION IS ALSO OCCURRING ACROSS JOHNSON COUNTY WHERE THE HIGHEST CAPES AND LOWEST LIFTED INDICES ARE INDICATED. THIS CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS...POTENTIALLY SEVERE...EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN JOHNSON AND NORTHERN NATRONA COUNTIES. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM IN SOUTHERN WY TODAY WILL HAVE LESS OF A CHANCE OF PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL BUT WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO POSSIBLY 50 MPH OR SO. HOWEVER DEW POINTS ARE NOT TERRIBLY LOW...MAINLY IN THE 30S WHICH IS ENOUGH TO CONTRAST AGAINST THE 50S TO THE NORTHEAST WHICH IS ENOUGH TO PRODUCE A DRY LINE FOR STORMS TO PROPAGATE NORTHEAST ALONG ON ACROSS CENTRAL WY. ON THURSDAY...WITH THE PACIFIC TROUGH OFF THE COAST APPROACHING OUR AREA...MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION IS EXPECTED OUT WEST AS THE FLOW TIGHTENS...BACKS TO THE WEST SOUTHWEST AND BECOMES MORE DI FLUENT. THIS DI FLUENT FLOW WILL LEAD TO BETTER LIFT RESULTING IN MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION CWA WIDE THURSDAY. THE BEST INSTABILITY APPEARS TO LAY ACROSS BIG HORN AND JOHNSON COUNTIES FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WARM THROUGH THURSDAY. LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...LEAVING CONTINUED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. AS THE TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE AREA...IT DOES SHOW A NEGATIVE TILT...HELPING TO KEEP THUNDERSTORMS LONGER INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY. EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO PERSIST ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WYOMING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...A MORE ZONAL FLOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE AREA...HELPING TO KEEP MOISTURE LIMITED. GENERALLY DRIER CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA UNDER THIS FLOW PATTERN. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE NORTH OF MONTANA WILL MOVE EASTWARD ON SUNDAY...AND MAY PUSH SOME INCREASED CLOUD COVER OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA. OTHERWISE...CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AMPLIFYING OVER THE PACIFIC COAST. THE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST DURING THE EARLY PORTION OF THE NEXT WEEK...GENERALLY LEAVING DRY CONDITIONS WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES. MODELS DO INDICATE SOME EMBEDDED MOISTURE IN THE RIDGE FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...WHICH MAY GENERATE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN WYOMING. AVIATION.../00Z ISSUANCE/ DIURNAL CONVECTION IS WELL UNDERWAY TO THE WEST OF THE LINGERING MID LEVEL DECK OF CLOUDS WITH THE BACK EDGE OF THIS CLOUD SHIELD NOW EXITING THE EASTERN WIND RIVER BASIN NORTH TO THE CENTRAL BIG HORN BASIN. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING CONVECTION IS ALSO OCCURRING ACROSS JOHNSON COUNTY. THIS CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS...POTENTIALLY SEVERE...EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN JOHNSON AND NORTHERN NATRONA COUNTIES INCLUDING KBYG. MORE OF DRY MICROBURST POTENTIAL ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH...EVEN WITH WEAK SHOWER ACTIVITY. OUTSIDE CONVECTION...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. MUCH OF THE CONVECTION WILL END BY 03Z THURSDAY. HOWEVER...A STRONGER SYSTEM APPROACHING THE AREA WILL RESULT IN INCREASING CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE WEST AND POSSIBILITY OF SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY BREAKING OUT AFTER 09Z. THURSDAY WE CAN EXPECT A MORE WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORM EPISODE BY 18Z ALONG WITH MORE WIDESPREAD AREAS OF MVFR AND LOCAL IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY AT KWRL...KGEY AND KBYG. FIRE WEATHER... TEMPERATURES RISING THROUGH THURSDAY IN MOST AREAS. ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN ACROSS ALL ZONES EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISPATCH ZONES WHICH WILL NOT HAVE MUCH OF A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION. POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN ZONES 280 AND 281 THROUGH 2100. WINDS WILL COME AROUND TO THE WEST/NORTHWEST FOR MOST ZONES AS THE FRONT MEANDERS EASTWARD DURING THE DAY. STRONGER GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL LAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ZONES 277 278 279 AND 289 WHERE IN COMBINATION WITH SOME MIN RH VALUES IN THE 20S...WILL ENHANCE FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FOR ANY FIRE THAN GET STARTED...ALTHOUGH FUELS ARE NOT CONSIDERED CRITICAL AT THIS TIME. THURSDAY WILL BE WARMER...ESPECIALLY ACROSS CASPER DISPATCH AND EASTERN CODY DISPATCH ZONES WITH ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A HIGH CHANCE OF WETTING RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN AREAS. A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH MUCH MORE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR FRIDAY...ALONG WITH MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES AND MORE CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE STATE. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && UPDATE...WM SHORT TERM...LIPSON LONG TERM...BRANHAM AVIATION...LIPSON FIRE WEATHER...LIPSON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 635 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ001>020-022>030-261200- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST- BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-CASPER MOUNTAIN-CODY FOOTHILLS- EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY-FLAMING GORGE- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE-JACKSON HOLE-LANDER FOOTHILLS- NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NORTH BIG HORN BASIN- NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS- ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER-SALT RIVER AND WYOMING RANGES- SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHEAST BIG HORN BASIN- SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN-STAR VALLEY- TETON AND GROS VENTRE MOUNTAINS-UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS-UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN- WIND RIVER BASIN-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS WEST- YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK- 635 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE FAR NORTH AND EAST THIS EVENING. THE MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THURSDAY...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. SOME STORMS WILL HAVE GUSTY WIND AND HAIL. FRIDAY...A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REGION. SATURDAY...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHERN WYOMING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT. TEAM RIVERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 446 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ017-019-020-252330- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE WY-NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS WY-WIND RIVER BASIN WY- 446 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN NATRONA AND EASTERN FREMONT COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM MDT... AT 445 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GAS HILLS RD MILE MARKER 30...OR 27 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SHOSHONI...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... GAS HILLS RD MILE MARKER 40 AND CASTLE GARDENS AROUND 510 PM MDT. GAS HILLS AROUND 515 PM MDT. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL WYOMING. REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RIVERTON AT 1-800-211-1448. LAT...LON 4303 10734 4273 10734 4279 10800 4297 10800 TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 268DEG 22KT 4289 10787 SKRBAC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 451 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ019-020-252345- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE WY-NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS WY- 451 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 545 PM MDT... AT 449 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTH OF HELL'S HALF ACRE...OR 39 MILES WEST OF CASPER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... POWDER RIVER AND U.S. HWY 20/26 MILE MARKER 40 AROUND 505 PM MDT. NATRONA AND U.S. HWY 20/26 MILE MARKER 30 AROUND 520 PM MDT. GOLDENEYE RESERVOIR AROUND 530 PM MDT. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL WYOMING. REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RIVERTON AT 1-800-211-1448. LAT...LON 4337 10663 4290 10632 4282 10712 4298 10724 TIME...MOT...LOC 2251Z 241DEG 25KT 4295 10706 SKRBAC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 605 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ020-022-260105- CASPER MOUNTAIN-NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS- 605 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 AT 6 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM CASPER...NORTHWEST TO RED WALL OR ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF MIDWEST. THIS AREA OF PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MPH...AND SHOULD IMPACT CASPER THROUGH ABOUT 630 PM...AND THE MIDWEST AREA BETWEEN 640 PM AND 715 PM. THE MAIN HAZARD FROM THIS ACTIVITY...WILL BE GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 45 MPH...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. 21
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 659 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ011-020-260200- NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY- 659 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 THROUGH 8 PM...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST NATRONA COUNTY...POSSIBLY CROSSING INTO EXTREME SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY. MIDWEST AND EDGERTON...IN NORTHEAST NATRONA COUNTY WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME COULD CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...SUCH AS NORMALLY DRY WASHES. 21
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 726 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 WYZ003-004-260215- CODY FOOTHILLS WY-NORTH BIG HORN BASIN WY- 726 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014 AT 723 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF POWELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... RALSTON AROUND 735 PM MDT. U.S. HWY 14A MILE MARKER 20 AROUND 740 PM MDT. POWELL AROUND 750 PM MDT. REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RIVERTON AT 1-800-211-1448. LAT...LON 4497 10866 4464 10860 4454 10894 4468 10910 TIME...MOT...LOC 0125Z 231DEG 18KT 4467 10892 MURRELL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
750 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014
WYZ004-260230-
NORTH BIG HORN BASIN WY-
750 PM MDT WED JUN 25 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN BIG HORN AND
NORTHEASTERN PARK COUNTIES IN CENTRAL WYOMING UNTIL 830 PM MDT...
AT 746 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR POWELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING WILL BE THE MAIN
HAZARDS FROM THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
BYRON AROUND 810 PM MDT.
LOVELL AND COWLEY AROUND 825 PM MDT.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
RIVERTON AT 1-800-211-1448.
LAT...LON 4485 10812 4468 10837 4456 10865 4476 10884
4500 10872 4501 10863 4500 10827
TIME...MOT...LOC 0149Z 236DEG 21KT 4474 10866
MURRELLThe Billings radar (KBLX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:54 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck near the 3rd green at the Powell Golf Club near Garland. The strike affected four golfers, one of which was knocked to the ground. The hole they were finishing was on an elevated portion of the course at the far north end of the property.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, June 2014
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 521856.